"Normal" thyroid results and hypo?

[Jeninaustr]

OK - now I'm getting real frustrated. Last month (3/22) I had the following:

TSH .44 low normal
FT3 1.8 - real low
FT4 1.2 normal

I was told I was just depressed, but have lots of hypo symptoms. I had been on birth control for 17 years with the exception of my 3 kids. The last one I was on had a very high estrogen content. My GYN blamed lots of symptoms on that pill (including depression), and discontinued it just before this blood work was done.

I pursued it further and had blood work done again by another doctor (who suspected a binding protein problem) on 4/8 and well, everything came back normal - FT3 up to 4.3.

Is it possible that the pill with it's binding proteins had caused hypo problems, and now that I'm off it I'm starting to resolve? That quickly?

I'm on prozac and won't know how my emotions are until I go off it - I'm afraid to do that cause last time I tried it was a real rollar coaster ride.

Could I still have a hypo problem - I'm still not losing weight, still constipated, still dead tired all the time etc. We contacted a thyroid department a distance away, and they suggest further testing - will it be worth it? Like nuclear testing?

Oh help...

[Nancy LC]

What're the ranges on those numbers? You should fall into the upper 3rd.

If it is like the ranges on my lab test then an FT3 of 4.3 is good. Free T3 (FT3) is the stuff that isn't bound to a protein.

What sort of thyroid are you taking? Natural? Synthetic T4?

[Jeninaustr]

I'm not taking anything; that's what I'm wondering - is it possible my FT3 was low because it was "bound" and now that I'm off the birth control pill, more of it (4.3) is freed up- will my hypo symptoms actually resolve on their own?

Anyone with experience with the pill causing this kind of trouble?

[Amylyn]

If you are truly hypo, unfortunatly the symptoms do not resolve on there own.

Depression is very common on BC, what other symptoms do you have?

[Jeninaustr]

Here we go - symptoms:

Fatigue fatigue fatigue, weight gain despite dieting and exercise, hands falling asleep, constipation, headaches, crying jags, high emotion/moodiness, night sweats, daytime hot flashes when under stress, and the following in the past several months on and off: hypotension which required medication, anemia, brain fog, memory loss, joint aches

Is it true that the pill will only cause problems with these binding proteins if in fact I have a "weak" or unhealthy thyroid?? Why is it that the pill only causes this binding problem with some women and not all? If in fact my lab results are coming back up to "normal", why wouldn't the hypo symptoms resolve?

Thanks for your interest
Jeninaustr

[Amylyn]

You do have alot of symptoms of hypo, but I never had night sweats or hot flashes. That could be because of your BC, being hypo myself I find I am usually colder than normal.

If you feel like your hypo, I would consider seeing a diffrent doctor. and getting your blood work done again.